Alwar
- Siliserh - Sariska
 Alwar
: As you enter the city of Alwar that is considered
as the gateway to Rajasthan, a journey to the past begins.
Alwar is one of the the oldest cities in Rajasthan and its
prehistoric as well as historic sites are an archaeologist’s
delight. Located 170 km south of Delhi, Alwar is protected
from the desert sands of the Aravalli range.
Most parts of Alwar are covered by tropical dry, deciduous
forest, common in these parts of the state which are braught
back to the green life only when the spring showers upon them.
The presence of the Aravalli ranges also provides Alwar with
a lot of picturesque locations- deep valleys and a protected
forest cover which is a haven to several species of birds
and animals.
Alwar was once a part of Matsya Desh, and is believed to be
one of the oldest kingdoms of this state. Alwar was considered
as an important city and so the Mughals, the Kachhawahas of
Amer, the Jats from neighbouring Bharatpur, the British as
well as the Marathas all tried to gain control over it. Till
the 18th century the rulers were unable to establish an independent
kingdom. It was in 1771 that Alwar became the youngest princely
state of Rajputana.
At present Alwar is a very busy and growing industrial district
and also one of Delhi’s satellite towns. But Alwar is also
a place worth visiting for its ancient temples, medieval forts
and palaces, gardens and a wildlife sanctuary.
 Bala
Quila: The fort is located on a 300 metres and
so provides a breathtaking view of the city below. Below the
fort lies the remarkable City Palace. Today, the courtyards
and halls of the City Palace haconverted into several government
offices. But Alwar’s legendary treasures, rare manuscripts,
paintings, objects made from jade, ivory and silver and a
large collection of weapons are found in the museum housed
in the City Palace.
Located just outside the palace but very much a part of the
sprawling palace complex is a huge tank lined by several temples
on one side and an impressive cenotaph on the other. Known
as the Moosi Maharani Chhatri built in the memory of a royal
mistress who committed sati here. Other areas of interest
are Vinay Vilas Palace and Company Garden. A little outside
Alwar are the Vijay Mandir Palace and the Moti Doongri fortress
and the old capital of Alwar - Rajgarh.
Siliserh : 13 km from
Jaipur lies Alwar’s popular picnic spot called Siliserh. Built
as a summer retreat, there is a small but wonderful palace
set amidst a mind-blowing location. Siliserh is a perfect
point for a quiet and peaceful holiday.
Sariska : Sariska is Alwar's
wildlife sanctuary. 42 kms away from Alwar, Sariska provides
many fascinating spots for wildlife lovers. The Sariska Tiger
Reserve and National Park is one of the few forested areas
in the Aravalli hills and has a good population of sambhar,
nilgai, chinkara, chital, leopard, wild boar, jackal, and
tiger. Birds include parakeet, grey partridge, crested serpent
eagle, babbles and bulbuls. Best time to visit is between
July to March. Just outside the sanctuary is the Sariska Palace,
once a royal hunting hotel with an old world charm. Within
the sanctuary are several interesting spots like Pandu Pol,
temple of Buddha Hanuman and the old temple of Nilkanth Mahadev.
Viratnagar is a place which is today known as Bairat. The
city lies 66 km from Alwar and is one of the oldest historical
sites in Rajasthan. In another part of the site on the slope
of a hill are the ruins of a circular Buddhist temple, the
only one in the country. It also has the remains of 17th century
wall paintings.
|
|
